Maybe, Probably, Certainly (Project S: Spike/Waterboyy)

Chapter 19: Come What May

New Year's Eve, 2016

Puen was resting on his bed, dark thoughts swirling in his head. Roe, the volleyball captain, has officially transferred to another university, leaving them scrambling for the new leader that would unite them. Or, at least, help them win. The match was right around the corner, at the beginning of January, so coach Anawat decided that for the time being they should follow their routine and hold off appointing the new captain. He was hoping that the leader could arise spontaneously on the court, because that was the time for the guys to prove themselves.

Puen, who didn't have any New Year plans, spend an afternoon on a solitary practice, and now was mindlessly surfing the Internet and trying to think about everything but the competition. As he scanned his Instagram feed, he absentmindedly gave a like to Singha's short clip of shopping with his friends in Whole Foods, for alcohol and snacks for the upcoming celebrations. He reminded himself to call him later and wish him all the best, and once again decline the invitation to visit him in the States. Puen knew that Singha wanted to persuade him to apply to UCLA and join their team, and technically nothing was stopping him from leaving Thailand, except...

He stopped scrolling, when he noticed a picture posted by Nong Than with his teammates, grinning wildly and apparently having a grand time at a party. Puen considered the radiant youth and smiled unconsciously while looking at the photo. They've kept in contact even though now they lived in different cities, and he was immensely grateful for that. Who would have thought that they would become friends in spite of their bad first impressions? On impulse Puen left a comment under the picture.

"Happy New Year! 🎆🎊May all your dreams come true in 2017."

Surprisingly, the answer came almost at once. It was unexpected, because he assumed the setter would be too busy having fun to check his Instagram, let alone reply.

"Happy New Year to you too, P'. I've got only one wish. If it comes true, that's enough."

Puen liked how single-minded Than was, because he could relate to that. He bet the boy wanted to win this year's Men's Volleyball U18 Cup, something they weren't able to do the last time.

"Su su na. 🤜🤛 " The spiker typed the words fast.

What was his dream this year? Puen questioned himself seriously. He wanted to play and emerge victorious from the Collegiate National Volleyball Competition, that was a given, but was he having as much fun as he used to have? He immediately dismissed the idea as frivolous, because it didn't really matter. Couldn't matter, if he wanted to achieve bigger and greater things. He would certainly get all that if he moved to the States, since it would be easier to get an international recognition, and yet, suddenly, an unbidden thought struck him.

"I wonder if Than remembers our promise to play together? And is that even possible, since father still wasn't convinced that sport career was the right path for his son."

He got up from the bed and rummaged through his drawers looking for something. When he found the picture of his old team, not with Singha, but the one taken during his last year at Theppanya School, he sat on the floor and studied it thoughtfully. He missed all of them, because that was his family for a while, unlike the people he's playing with right now.

His eyes lingered on Than for a long time. It would be kinda cool if he had him around and not only on a volleyball court, because he was a good kid, if a bit rebellious at times. In fact, if they studied together he could keep an eye on the boy and make sure he didn't land himself in any trouble.